Bond Is Back in Evergreen Challenge

Bond Is Back at Evergreen Park.

Barry and Janice Sather’s Bond Is Back makes his first appearance in a year when he defends his title in the $32,000 Bank of America Evergreen Challenge at Evergreen Park on Sunday afternoon.

Bond Is Back (A Regal Choice-Lady Lucchese by Spanish Boot) won last year’s running by 1 1/4 lengths as the 3-2 favorite for trainer Janice Sather. He won three of four starts last year with his only setback a disqualification from a first-place finish. His first two 2011 wins came in Los Alamitos claiming races.

Donald and Peggy Boyle’s homebred Current Sea (Separatist-Shirleys Strawfly by Strawfly Special) is a half-brother to champion Strawkins with stakes credentials at Los Alamitos. The John Harris-trained gelding was second in the 2011 El Primero Del Ano Derby (G2) and came back from an extended layoff in June to win a conditioned allowance race at Los Alamitos.

Herds Racing’s Fast Fifty (Promised Class-Bubbles La Jolla by Streakin La Jolla) makes his first appearance since wrapping up his 2011 campaign with a pair of wins, including a stakes at Northlands Park. He has won eight of 15 starts with four second-place runs.